West Gate Dormitories, with a total of 114 suites, is a newly announced housing option for TRU students. It's planned to be open for students in January 2022.

Image Credit: TRU

A new modular housing facility for Thompson Rivers University students is opening soon, addressing the urgent need for housing in Kamloops.

West Gate Dormitories has 114 individual rooms with washrooms on an underused parking lot at McGill Road and University Drive, according to a TRU news release.

“We know students are struggling to find a place to live due to exceptional circumstances that have stressed the Kamloops housing supply,” Warren Asuchak, TRU associate vice president of campus, infrastructure, sustainability and ancillary services, said in the release.

The modular units, similar to a work camp facility, were under construction as of Dec. 9, TRU said.

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“Using an underused parking lot is a good allocation of our land resources to help address the need for more student accommodations and TRU thanks the City of Kamloops for supporting this temporary solution," Asuchak said.

The City of Kamloops previously denied an application to build modular dormitories for TRU students because it fell short of B.C. Building Code requirements.

"The City is of the view that using temporary housing that does not meet the legislated (and widely accepted) health and safety requirements would exacerbate rather than cure TRU’s dilemma," chief administrative officer for the city said in a letter in September.

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City council voted against the TRU proposal on Sept. 21 in a closed council meeting.

Meanwhile, a local housing crunch is leaving some students to live in hotels, including hotels deemed a nuisance by the City of Kamloops.

The new facility adds to the 1,366 individual beds on campus already, and it is anticipated to open for students to move in January 2022, just in time for the winter semester.

City of Kamloops staff was unable to immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Students who wish to apply for housing can do so by going to the TRU website here.

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